❄❄ Let It Snow ❄❄ :: Christmas 2012 Chatter Thread

Snugglebunny8

chirpychick wrote: »

Particularly pleased as it's first year with baby spud too

But I think my MIL just feels comfortable around me enough to be rude? She would never EVER say anything to her other son or DIL!!
She spends a lot of time with us, they help us out financially a fair amount (we never ask!!) and we do lots of chores for them and things so I am sure she doesn't think she is being rude but feels she can just say what she likes? which may be age lol
She also always tells me im like the daughter she never had and slags off SIL to me ROFL (makes me wonder what she says about me sometimes!)

:rotfl:hopefully she doesn't! I think my mum and I are so different, yet she is very like my sister and brother (I don't think I was found under a gooseberry bush but sometimes wonder! :rotfl:) she was the same when she came just after we got our cats, the kids were so excited to show them to her but she was 'I'm not a cat person' well you could at least feign interest to your grandchildren couldnt you?! we had just had the kitchen done and all she said was that it was a shame we had spoilt it by getting cats, with their bowls and claws ... that was the point I decided I wasn't going to feel guilty about Christmas any more! :rotfl:

It's lovely that they are there to help and support you though, my mum did help when DS was born and she really was supportive as I was tieing myslef in knots trying to make sure DD didnt have her nose put out of joint (thankfully she tells me she didnt, so knots were worth it! ) I hope she really helps you when little one arrives

Snugglebunny8

On Christmas Day we always open pressies here, go to ILs approx 11am ish then to my mums around 3ish. In 2009 and 2010 it was even busier as my nan was in hospital 2009 so visted her there and we visited her at home 2010 which is 30 mins away from my mums. Last year she went to my mums though which was lovely. I couldnt imagine spending xmas day without them so dont mind travelling. We usually alternate between my mums and ILs for xmas dinner but last years was at my mums and Im dreading having it at MILS this year. I know it sounds really mean but at my mums we all sit down together at the table which never happens usually (5 of my brothers/sisters still live at home but 4 are older and always in and out and obviously I dont live there anymore) and also my nan was really ill in 2009 and tbh I want to have as many xmas dinners as possible with her. Even though shes only 5ish more years older than my ILs she has been very unlucky with her health. Also if we have dinner at ILs it means we dont get to spend long at all at my mums where its more fun for DS tbh because he has people to play with and its not such a big occasion at MILs as we just have our dinner on our laps. MIL wouldnt make a fuss about it I know but Id still feel mean saying we're going to my mums again. Id like to help my mum with dinner too as shes been unwell lately (B12 deficiency mainly) and still has to carry on as usual without any help so would like to help with dinner. We always go to ILs for boxing day though? Complicated!

really feel for you, can fully understand why you feel you want to be at your mums, is it possible perhaps to sit down with your IL's and explain that as your mum has been unwell, she is really wanting to do Christmas dinner for the family but needs help to do it, and you feel you really want to be there to help her? You could perhaps suggest going to them in the morning or evening, or Christmas Eve/Boxing Day? if you tell them you of course want to spend time with them over Christmas but really feels your mum needs the help, would they understand? I hope so! especially if you tell them this early they may then arrange to do something different themselves? they may not have thought too much about it yet so perhaps planting the idea early might help? Maybe you could do extra something Christmassy with IL's on run up to Christmas to soften it? good luck!

Snugglebunny8

will-be-debt-free wrote: »

Hello All,

Please may i join this thread??? have spent a fiar few evenings reading through all the posts and have finally reached the end after picking up so many tips - have thanked a few posts - but too many to mention here.

A little bit about me - i have a son whose 6, a daughters whose 4 and our final addition dues on 1st october - so only 3 and a bit weeks away!!!! I am one of those people who love planning and am always searching for next gift ect for birthdays - as my two's birthdays are in aaugust as soon as they are done i go into xmas mood - GLAD TO SEE SO MANY OTHERS WHO START EARLY TOO!!!

i got a load of bargains today going into town after having a growth scan(So saw baby too), disney dtore had dtationary sets half price, magic flannels at £1, got two perfumes from boots with the points glitch so in theory were free - and dvds - in hmv they have a pre owned section and all the dvds are in the cases so you can see if they are damaged - as we are getting son and daughter news tv for xmas(will be sorting rooms when we know sex of baby) 5 dvds for £10 was a steal and all looked brand new - cases and discs!!!
Also, cashed in some valued opinions amazon vouchers and got a v pillow(baby more than xmas) an xmas cd for 1p(and postage) and the reindeer trilogy after reading it on here!!!

Went through my present stash and am proberly about half way done - and have £200 of park vouchers coming to get the kids new tvs!!! am planning to be done by end of november to enjoy dec with baby, plus car mot is due in jan and always costs a fortune!!!:eek:

well thats all for now, will keep reading and hopefully posting:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

welcome! and many congrats on your new bundle! there are so many people here who are expecting, its so lovely and making me really broody! and your two are such a perfect age for magical Christmas!

well done on the bargains! :beer:

Snugglebunny8

Nanamia wrote: »

Aaw thank you Snugglebunny and Princesskitty I really am just feeling sorry for myself and am trying to count my blessing. And after reading Always After A Bargins post I feel thoroughly ashamed of myself and the lovelies who have lost loved ones.

My DDS DDiL and VVVDGD emigrated to Australia two weeks ago and I'm still trying to come to terms with it. It feels like grieving even tho they are alive and well. I think I'm grieving the loss of the life I had with them as we had our VVVDGD at least three days a week since she was born two and a half years ago. I miss them terribly and can't get past the things we won't be doing together instead of smiling at the things we DID DO together. I'm hoping this will soon pass and I can move on but it is so very hard at the moment. I know too that I'm so much luckier than previous generations with FaceTime and Skype etc but VVVDGD cried for a cuddle on screen yesterday which was hard and today wanted to come to our house! I really must control myself.

In the meantime i will continue to enjoy your posts :-) and then hopefully play catch up. X

*sends you a hug* totally understand how you are feeling! sometimes it's just too soon to smile about what you did do and not want to burst into tears wishing you could still do it, but please beleive that is a totally natural response, and time really does help, after a while you really will be able to do that, but it just takes time to adjust, as you are so used to seeing a lot of them.

My neighbours DD, DSIL and 2 GC's moved to the US, she was distraught, set up Skype etc but felt so desolate after speaking with them at first, but over time she just began to really look forward to chatting to them and hearing all about new school, friends etc, and now shes always talking about what they are up to - they go over every year and obviously misses them a bit when she gets home, but I think because her most recent memories are of them being away and not here, those are the freshest in her mind? I know its a cliche but the time helps so much - have found it myself when thinking of those I've lost, but now I can smile and laugh about things we did. In the meantime we are here if you need a chat x

ps; is it possible to plan for when you will see them next? for example if they are planning to visit the UK you maybe could start looking at places to take them etc? or if you are in a position where you might be able to visit them, start planning? even if it's a long time away I find planning always helps! even just looking at air fares, flight schedules etc? or maybe look up on Google Earth, Maps etc where they are living?

ShonaM

Nanamia wrote: »

Aaw thank you Snugglebunny and Princesskitty I really am just feeling sorry for myself and am trying to count my blessing. And after reading Always After A Bargins post I feel thoroughly ashamed of myself and the lovelies who have lost loved ones.

My DDS DDiL and VVVDGD emigrated to Australia two weeks ago and I'm still trying to come to terms with it. It feels like grieving even tho they are alive and well. I think I'm grieving the loss of the life I had with them as we had our VVVDGD at least three days a week since she was born two and a half years ago. I miss them terribly and can't get past the things we won't be doing together instead of smiling at the things we DID DO together. I'm hoping this will soon pass and I can move on but it is so very hard at the moment. I know too that I'm so much luckier than previous generations with FaceTime and Skype etc but VVVDGD cried for a cuddle on screen yesterday which was hard and today wanted to come to our house! I really must control myself.

In the meantime i will continue to enjoy your posts :-) and then hopefully play catch up. X

Aww Im hoping with time it gets better for you, it must be very hard for you. I was speaking to my mam about this as we were in a similar situation. I lived with her for 3 years from the time my DS was born while my partner was in the military. We then moved about an hour away from hers and we both had a hard time adjusting. My Ds missed her so much and she was lost without us there. She admitidly said she couldn't even bare to go into our rooms when we had left. Its took a while for us all to adjust to our new lives but it has got better. We call each other every day and we visit when we can. It was hard last christmas as we didnt get to see her till boxing day (my first crimbo out of the family home in 26 years eeek) I was a bit of an emotional wreck to say the least. Keep smiling and think of the goods time your going to have when you do see them, sending my love!!!! x

Snugglebunny8

thanks for the info on Foyles and the Rudolph Monopoly! have just had a look and it goes ok into basket and will let you order for home delivery, so I think the 'not available' may refer to the product image not being available perhaps? £7 cheaper than Amazon as well! so thanks, will cancelled my Amazon order and order from them

Cherry24

Hi,

Been lurking a bit and thought I would join in.
Nice to read about all of your Christmas planning.

I usually make hampers but am not doing it this year as I always get so stressed by it all and it becomes less enjoyable.
I once did hessian sacks instead with handpainted wooden gingerbread and heart gift tags that could then be hung on the tree afterwards.

This year, I'm going for something a bit different that won't be to everyone's taste but with mine and OH's evergrowing family makes sense to us and we know our friends and family will like them.
We are doing Christmas goodie bags. All bags are going to include nice items mainly purchased from craft fairs that are appropriate for each recipient.

I've already decided that each bag is going to have a luxury bespoke xmas cracker in it, a jar of retro sweets and a candy cane and then the other items will be more personalised for each person.
The bags that I have purchased are quite large so can fit a lot in. I bought the bags in bulk. They are thick paper bags which we prefer as they can go straight in the recycling as most people we know rip or throw away their gift bags anyway.
I got my bags from here if anyone is interested:

http://www.aplexpress.co.uk/32cm-wide-christmas-stars-paper-carrier-bags-tape-handle-boxes-of-250.html

http://www.aplexpress.co.uk/32cm-wide-christmas-tree-paper-carrier-bags-tape-handle-boxes-of-250.html

They also do Santa ones:
http://www.aplexpress.co.uk/32cm-wide-christmas-santa-paper-carrier-bags-twist-handle-boxes-of-200.html

Am looking forward to reading about everyone's ideas.

Pips_Mum

Thanks for those links Cherry, New baby is being delivered by C-Section on 9th Oct and I was dreading having to sit on the floor and try and wrap all the presents!! Chuck 'em in a giftbag and stickytape the top, job done! LOL!:rotfl::rotfl:

http://www.aplexpress.co.uk/35cm-santa-on-ice-frosted-carrier-bags-flexiloop-handle-boxes-of-500.html
These look nice too and re-usable

Cherry24

Haha Pips Mum - that was my thinking. A lot less wrapping, ribbons and cellophane like usual except you have more of an excuse than me with a new baby keeping you busy

msgigglewick

hows this for an idea in wrapping up chocolate instead of a tin, hamper, selection box?

http://yawlcome.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/santas-sleighs-from-ellyns-place.html